Paris in winter is a stark contrast to the glorious summer days we remembered it fondly for. And it being Christmas Eve and Christmas Day no less while we were there, made it all the more unusual. After a few hours walking round Montmartre and the Sacre Couer in pouring rain I would have been a million times happier to be hitting the clubs in Timmers for the traditional Christmas Eve catch up with school mates.
While no snow on the ground in Paris, there certainly was on the outskirts, so we consider it our first White Christmas (and hopefully our last as it was mega mega cold!). We had joined another tour of around 40 Austrailians, with a few kiwis thrown in for good measure, for a 10 day coach journey to see 5 countries over Christmas and New Years and this was just the beginning.
Christmas Day in a hotel room was a bit sad but after a walking tour of the sparse city we tried to find a nice roast lunch in the latin quarter. Turns out 'roast chicken' and 'roast pork' come with fries, and with a glass of coke costing half as much of the meal, we moved on shortly after. The afternoon was nice as we strolled a Christmas market on the Champs Elysee and took a river cruise, something we hadn't been able to afford last time we were here, and stopped by the Eiffel Tower all lit up and sparkling for Christmas dinner (a bratwurst sausage, some potato concoction, mulled wine and crepes - very traditional!)
A short but sweet return visit to Paris - next stop the Swiss Alps!
It wasn’t a white Christmas but it certainly was memorable: featuring a walking tour during a monumental downpour on Christmas Eve, and the worst Christmas dinner ever.
We arrived in Paris at approximately 6pm, after a fairly unremarkable journey across from Dover on the ferry. It was raining when we arrived, and it was absolutely pissing down when we embarked on a walking tour around Montmarte with our tour group.
Last time we were there I remember it being a nice, sunny, warm day. On this occasion – Montmarte revisited – it couldn’t have been much different. We were soaked to the bone by the time we took shelter in the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur, a beautiful old Catholic church at the top of the hill.
It was quite an appropriate place to visit on Christmas Eve, notwithstanding the dreadful weather. An oasis of calm, compared to the chaotic weather outside; we admired the lovely stained glass windows, mosaics and architecture.
Christmas dinner in Paris was an interesting experience. We searched the Latin Quarter for quite some time, looking for the perfect set-menu, before finally settling on a three-course meal consisting of either roast chicken or roast pork for 12 euros.
We should have left immediately when they handed us the drink menu; 5 euros for a coke is a ridiculous price when the entire three courses are only 12. Nevertheless, we stayed on. I even saw them pour Nicola’s diet coke from a plastic bottle, no doubt purchased at a supermarche down the road.
The entree was fine (onion soup for me, salad for Nic), but then the maincourse arrived, the tiniest piece of pork I have ever seen, accompanied by French fries. Of course, we asked for some tomato sauce, which as it turned out later when we received the bill, costs 1.50 euros. Talk about hidden extra costs! We wouldn’t have minded so much if the food was better.
Some more Paris pics are here
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